Electronic nose sensor array, sensor system including the same, method of manufacturing the same, and analysis method using the sensor system

Abstract

Provided are an electronic nose sensor array which can easily measure and process a sample using a personal information terminal and can be mass-produced, a sensor system including the same, a method of manufacturing the electronic nose sensor array, and a analysis method using the electronic nose sensor system. The sensor array comprises a plurality of sensing films which are formed on a side of a polymer substrate and react to chemical species to be analyzed, thereby changing their electric resistances, and a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of which contacts both ends of each of the sensing films and senses a change of one of the electric resistances.

1 . An electronic nose sensor array comprising: 
 a flat-panel type polymer substrate;    a plurality of sensing films which is formed on a first side of the polymer substrate and react to chemical species to be analyzed, thereby changing their electric resistances; and    a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of which contacts both ends of each of the sensing films and senses a change of one of the electric resistances.    
   
   
       2 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate is at least one selected from polyimide, polyester, and glass epoxy.  
   
   
       3 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing film is made of a mixture of conductive particles and non-conductive organic material.  
   
   
       4 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing film is made of a mixture of conductive carbon black and polymer.  
   
   
       5 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 3 , wherein the non-conductive organic material is at least one selected from Polystyrene, Poly(methyl methacrylate), Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Poly(vinyl acetate), Poly(ethylene oxide), Poly(-methylstyrene), Poly(4-vinylphenol), Polysulfone, Polycaprolactone, Poly(4-methylstylene), Poly(stylene-co-methylmethacrylate), Poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate), Poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile), Poly(styrene-co-allyl alcohol), Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride), Poly(styrene-co-butadiene), Poly(bisphenol A carbonate), Poly(butadiene), Poly(4-vinyl pyridine), Poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride), Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile), Poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate), Poly(vinyl butyral)-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate, Poly(vinyl stearate), Ethyl cellulose, Polystrene-black-polyisoprene-black-polystrene, Hydroxypropyl cellulose, Cellulose acetate, and Poly(ethylene glycol).  
   
   
       6 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing film further comprises an additive to change characteristics of the non-conductive organic material.  
   
   
       7 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 6 , wherein the additive is dioctylphthalate or di(ethyleneglycol) dibenzoate.  
   
   
       8 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrodes are parts of an upper metal line exposed by an upper protecting layer.  
   
   
       9 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 1 , wherein a fine heater is disposed on a second side of the polymer substrate.  
   
   
       10 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 9 , wherein a lower protecting layer covers the fine heater to block the fine heater from the outside.  
   
   
       11 . The electronic nose sensor array of  claim 8  or  10 , wherein each of the upper protecting layer and the lower protecting layer is made of at least one or more selected from polyimide, polyester, and glass epoxy.  
   
   
       12 . A electronic nose sensor system comprising: 
 a electronic nose sensor array; and    a personal digital assistant to which the electronic nose sensor array is attached and which obtains data measured by the electronic nose sensor array in real-time and processes the data using a pattern recognition program,    wherein the electronic sensor array comprises: 
 a flat-panel type polymer substrate;  
 a plurality of sensing films which is formed on a side of the polymer substrate and react to chemical species to be analyzed, thereby changing their electric resistances; and  
 a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of which contacts both ends of each of the sensing films and senses a change of one of the electric resistances.  
   
   
   
       13 . The electronic nose sensor system of  claim 12 , wherein the pattern recognition program is a principal component analysis method.  
   
   
       14 . The electronic nose sensor system of  claim 12 , wherein the personal digital assistant includes an electronic circuit board that digitalizes and transmits the measured data to the personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       15 . The electronic nose sensor system of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic circuit board comprises an analog/digital convert and a digital bus interface.  
   
   
       16 . The electronic nose sensor system of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic nose sensor array further comprises hardware for extracting a sample.  
   
   
       17 . The electronic nose sensor system of  claim 16 , wherein the hardware for extracting sample includes a liquid permeative film which allows the sample to evaporate and causes the concentration gradient.  
   
   
       18 . A method of manufacturing an electronic nose sensor array, the method comprising: 
 preparing a polymer substrate;    forming an upper metal line on a side of the polymer substrate, the upper metal line including a plurality sensing electrodes and contact pads;    forming a plurality of heaters on the opposite side of the polymer substrate; and    forming a plurality of sensing films made of a mixture of conductive particles and a non-conductive material.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upper metal line and the heaters are formed using an electric-chemical method.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sensing electrodes are interlaced with each other, each having a comb shape.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 forming an upper protecting layer on the upper metal line such that the sensing electrodes and the contact pads are exposed.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 forming a lower protecting layer that covers the heaters to block the heaters from the outside.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of the sensing films is made of a mixture of conductive carbon black and polymer.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the non-conductive organic material is at least one selected from Polystyrene, Poly(methyl methacrylate), Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Poly(vinyl acetate), Poly(ethylene oxide), Poly(-methylstyrene), Poly(4-vinylphenol), Polysulfone, Polycaprolactone, Poly(4-methylstylene), Poly(stylene-co-methylmethacrylate), Poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate), Poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile), Poly(styrene-co-allyl alcohol), Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride), Poly(styrene-co-butadiene), Poly(bisphenol A carbonate), Poly(butadiene), Poly(4-vinyl pyridine), Poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride), Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile), Poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), Poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate), Poly(vinyl butyral)-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate, Poly(vinyl stearate), Ethyl cellulose, Polystrene-black-polyisoprene-black-polystrene, Hydroxypropyl cellulose, Cellulose acetate, and Poly(ethylene glycol).  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sensing film includes an additive to change characteristics of the non-conductive organic material.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the additive is dioctylphthalate or di(ethyleneglycol) dibenzoate.  
   
   
       27 . A method of analyzing a sample using an electronic nose sensor array, the method comprising: 
 extracting a sample using hardware for extracting the sample;    starting measuring the sample using a personal digital assistant employing a pattern recognition program;    attaching the hardware for extracting the sample to a sensor array support;    saturating reactions in the electronic nose sensor array;    separating the hardware for extracting the sample from the sensor array support; and    initializing the reactions in the electronic nose sensor array,    wherein the electronic nose sensor array comprises: 
 a flat-panel type polymer substrate;  
 a plurality of sensing films which is formed on a side of the polymer substrate and react to chemical species to be analyzed, thereby changing their electric resistances; and  
 a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of which contacts both ends of each of the sensing films and senses a change of one of the electric resistance.  
   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the hardware for extracting the sample comprises a sample extraction plate formed by a liquid permeative film and a sample plate support, and the sensor array support comprises a fixing unit so that a semi-hermetic space is formed between the sample extraction plate and the sensor array support.